Cheating

While many CPNRE candidates are ethical and professional, cheating unfortunately is on the rise.

Prior to Exam Day

Prior to the exam day, you will be sent information as to what you can and cannot bring to the exam room. Please know what these rules are and follow them. Check with your regulatory authority for details.

Exam Day

On exam day, you will be required to sign a “candidate declaration” agreeing not to engage in cheating behaviour. Below is a replica of what you must read and sign before writing the exam.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
This Test Book and its contents, including the exam questions, are highly confidential and are the property of the Assessment Strategies Inc.(ASI). Candidates taking the exam are therefore prohibited from disclosing the contents of the Test Book and must not, under any circumstances, share any of the information it contains with any person, except as authorized by ASI. Unauthorized production, reproduction or publication of the exam questions is also prohibited by copyright laws. In addition, ASI has implemented measures and statistical procedures to detect cheating (i.e. copying answers from another candidate; voluntarily or involuntarily providing answers to another candidate). Unauthorized disclosure of the contents of the Test Book and any other form of cheating is unethical behaviour and shall result in sanctions. If the regulatory authority determines a candidate has cheated on the exam, the candidate is automatically assigned a fail result and the writing is counted as an exam writing. Other sanctions may be imposed and may extend to being denied access into the profession.

CANDIDATE DECLARATION
I acknowledge that I have read the above provisions regarding the disclosure, production, reproduction or publication of the Test Book and its content, and cheating with respect to the exam. My signature on this Test Book constitutes my agreement not to disclose, produce, reproduce or otherwise engage in the publication of the Test Book and its content, unless authorized by ASI, or to cheat with respect to the exam.

[your signature]

Data Forensics

After you write the exam, routine data forensics procedures are conducted on every candidate. Your answer sheet and everyone else’s answer sheet is screened for suspicious response patterns and cheating-like behaviour. Sophisticated software is used to compare candidates’ answers from across the country. This data forensic work can reveal information which is shared with the regulatory authority of the province/territory in which you write. At that time an investigation could be launched with or without your knowledge.

Consequences of Cheating

The consequences of cheating or behaviour that is viewed as suspicious can be serious and may include:

1. Being given a fail result on the exam. This counts towards the limited number of times (three) that you can write the exam.
2. Having a complaint filed against you.
3. Being denied entry into the practical nursing profession by the regulatory authority; and
4. Having a civil lawsuit filed against you.

Reporting Cheating

While you have a responsibility to be ethical, you also have an obligation to report unethical behaviour. In fact, some standards of practice and ethical codes require that professionals report unethical behaviour, which would include cheating or cheating schemes. In the exam process, this might include:

1. Reporting someone who has requested that you disclose the content of exam questions to them after you write the CPNRE; and
2. Reporting someone who has written the CPNRE and is now offering to share confidential information on exam questions with you.

1-888-900-0005
You can also e-mail at:
cheating@asinc.ca

Cheating includes sharing, copying, publishing or providing to anyone exam questions or answers by any means, including in person, telephone, electronically or digitally. Cheating also includes giving a summary or recollection of a question to someone else by any means.

All calls and emails will be handled discreetly and confidentially.